National shot put coach Mohd Faizol Harun has taken full responsibility for the disqualification of Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Mohd Faizol said that as the athlete’s coach, he was the one closest to Muhammad Ziyad during the Games.
“To all parties looking for who is guilty in this matter, I, as Ziyad’s coach and the one closest to him, am responsible for what happened.
“Don’t point fingers at others,” he told a media conference upon returning with the national contingent at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today.
Kudos to the coach for training the top class Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli and then taking the blame for what happened when he lost that medal.
Sport is full of such setbacks, but in the end no one can take away Muhammad’s triumph in performing best in this competition and no one will want to either.
He many not have the official medal but he has the support and respect of his nation and of his sport.
What is more he gets the last laugh, because thanks to this disappointment his story has spread far and wide as have his fame and the global recognition of his achievement.
Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli is now a far bigger name than just some ordinary Olympic Gold Medal winner!